


Bifur Broadbeam of the Ered Luin Broadbeams

by in_a_blog_in_the_ground



Series: One-Shots [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Character Interaction, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-21
Packaged: 2017-12-14 07:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/834108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_a_blog_in_the_ground/pseuds/in_a_blog_in_the_ground
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of one-shot shorts of Bifur interacting with the different members of the Company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fili and Kili

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bofur1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/gifts).



> In return for a gift-story from mah buddy Bofur1!
> 
> Prompt was: "...maybe you could write somethin' sweet about Bifur" and I triiiied, and then it got a little out of hand, sorry XD
> 
> Oh yeah, and as you surely know, Bifur speaks in Khuzdul and Iglishmêk, so just to stay true to that, since I honestly don't have the time or particular inclination (sorry!) to translate all his stuff into dwarvish, I'm just going to italicize his dialogue to make that distinction from the Westron the others are speaking :P But if they decide to speak in Khuzdul or something, their words will also be italicized, etc.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili and Kili are confused...
> 
> ...I realize that this in and of itself is nothing new

Fili looked up from the dusty dagger he had just unearthed as Kili elbowed him in the ribs. “Ow, what is it, Ki’?” he said, rubbing the sore spot.

Kili said nothing, but jerked his head in what he thought was a subtle gesture over his shoulder.

Fili looked past his wide-eyed brother in time to see Bifur walk out of the cave with some white and yellow items nestled in his arms. Surely those weren’t…?

Glancing at each other, the brothers abandoned their cobwebbed finds to follow the other dwarf out.

When they emerged from the dank cavern, they found Bifur arranging the items in a row across a low stone wall. Yes, those were most definitely…

Bifur heard them, and turned at their approach. The princes stopped short.

“H-hello, sir. What…what have you got there?” Fili stammered out as politely as he could manage.

 _“Skulls_ ,” Bifur said in a puzzled tone, surprised the princes couldn’t see what the bones were. He was under the impression that they were educated, yet they couldn’t recognize what were arguably the most distinctive bones in the body? He shook his head in dismay. Dwarrows these days…

“Er, yes, but…why, sir?”

Oh. Bifur thought a moment about how to answer. Though he was a hunter by trade before the…incident, he was always sure to treat all creatures with respect. Would these two understand? Or would they just brush him off as just a mad old dwarf suffering delusions from the axe in his head? He decided it didn’t matter, and told them why.

_“They shouldn’t be kept in that foul place, unable to see the sun.”_

Fili and Kili listened carefully, exchanged glances, and disappeared once more into the troll hoard.

Bifur sighed. Ah, he didn’t really blame them for not understanding, but couldn’t help but be a little disappointed nonetheless. He turned back to arranging the skulls he salvaged, rotating the snouts and faces towards the west.

He turned again as the voices of the dwarf princes echoed out of the opening. Bifur’s brows rose high in surprise when they came into view.

“Come on, Ki’, I’ve got three!”

“Yes, but mine’s HUGE, Fi’!”

Fili and Kili were exiting the cave, Fili trying to juggle three skulls in his arms while Kili struggled to heft a single massive one. Bifur got up to help him, and received a brilliant smile in return.

Kili and Bifur arranged the new skulls on the wall while Fili went back in to check that none were missed. When he returned, all the skulls were lined up, with Kili’s find leaned up alongside since it wouldn’t fit.

 _“Thank you,”_ Bifur both said aloud and signed in Iglishmêk for emphasis.

“Of course!”

“Mister Bifur sir,” Kili tentatively started, “D’you, that is, d’you know what all of these are? Could you teach us?”

Delighted, Bifur settled down to point out distinguishing characteristics on each of the skulls, offering his hunting and tracking background as an explanation of his knowledge. He was just getting to examining the biggest skull, which looked feline but was far larger than anything he had ever encountered before, not to mention the two massive incisors hanging down, when an alarm was raised, and all the dwarves scrambled for their weapons. With a last look over his shoulder at the skulls, Bifur joined the others, hoping the creatures would find more peace, now they were out in the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by the scene in the movie when Gandalf is talking to Bilbo outside the troll cave. It was pointed out to me that in the background, Bifur can be seen showing what appears to be a skull to Kili, who looks confused, but is too polite to turn away.


	2. Ori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ori's food dilemma solved.

Ori couldn’t believe it. They had just run across half of Middle Earth it felt like, chased by wargs, only to end up here, in the stronghold of the enemy. Except…the enemy didn’t seem so bad apart from surrounding the Company with mounted soldiers upon their arrival. In fact, apart from that, the elves had been quite civil, especially Lord Elrond. The Company had been offered a chance to bathe, a place to sleep, and food…if one could call it that…

Having resolutely resisting Dori’s urgings that he try the unsatisfying-seeming fare, he glanced down the table in the direction of his other brother, hoping Nori may have procured something more substantial. His hopes fell to see Nori also picking half-heartedly through the mound of greens before him.

Only Bifur seemed to be enjoying himself to any degree, crunching on his salad with apparent delight. Seated across from him, Nori quietly observed his actions, fiddling with the handle of the table knife at his hand. Then, to Ori’s immense surprise, Nori speared a dandelion head on the tip of the knife, and popped it into his mouth, chewing contemplatively. To Ori’s _further_ surprise, his brother actually seemed to like it, uttering a short exclamation in Khuzdul to Bifur who nodded enthusiastically, both of them tucking in with vigor after that. Shifting his gaze to Dwalin, seated next to Nori and staring at him with a slightly horrified expression, Ori imagined he had a similar look on his face.

“Wot?” Nori said, having noticed Dwalin’s stare, “It’s actually not so bad.” He waved a tiny treelike vegetable in Dwalin’s affronted face before tossing it into his mouth. “Fine,” he continued between chews, “Just dun wake me up t’break ya inta the kitchens when you’re starvin’ later.”

Snorting, the warrior shook his head and turned to complain to Oin and Gloin, both also picking sadly through their bowls for any sign of meat.

Ori looked down at his own bowl, hoping against hope that there would be some scraps of chicken in there he may have missed on his first pass. Sighing when none materialized, he dejectedly picked up his fork and shifted aside the green leaves. Wait. There was something yellow peeking though, could it be…? No, just a flower. An actual flower. In his bowl. Stomach rumbling, unable to take his hunger anymore, Ori closed his eyes, jammed the thing in his mouth, and bit down.

His eyes flew open in astonishment. It was like a ray of spring sunshine had just spilled across his tongue. The light and tangy dressing complemented the flower perfectly, and Ori dug around in his bowl trying to find more. When he found all there was to find, he tentatively tried something else, and another, and another. Before he knew it, his bowl was empty, Dori was beaming with pride, and he was full. He did wish there were a few more of the yellow flowers, however, and twirled his fork absently wondering if it would be out of turn to ask their hosts. He looked back when he heard the soft clack of wooden bowls clinking together.

Bifur was gently tipping more of the yellow flowers into Ori’s empty dish. He smiled in answer to Ori’s delighted beam and enthusiastic “thank you”. Unlike Ori, he had no qualms about entreating their hosts for more, but knowing they most likely wouldn’t understand him, settled for digging through his neighbor’s uneaten salads for the treats. The smile on Ori’s face was worth all the glares from the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is of course based off the famous scene in Rivendell of Ori rejecting his "green food". There were some production stills released later that showed Bifur actually picking through some flowers, which led to some speculation that he was maybe vegetarian, or at least didn't mind vegetables?
> 
> I also reckoned Nori would be the other one who least minded trying new things. When you're on the road as much as he is, you learn to not turn up your nose at a potential meal. Ori, of course, would be encouraged to emulate his cooler big bro XD


	3. Dwalin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin and Bifur talk shop.

“Say, Bifur.”

Bifur looked up from folding his travel-worn outercoat at Dwalin’s greeting. The dwarves were settling down in the rooms provided for them at Rivendell. To Bifur’s left, his cousins were already snoring away.

 _Yes, Dwalin? What can I do for you?_ Bifur signed in Iglishmêk, so as not to disturb them. He stood to join Dwalin on the balcony overlooking the valley where the warrior had set up his bedroll.

“Oh, er, Ah just wanted to er…good job on that warg earlier today. You’re quite handy wit’ that…pike, is it? Wouldn’a put ye down as a fighter.”

 _“I was a hunter, actually, before the…”_ speaking aloud in Khuzdul now that they were out of the large and echoing chamber, Bifur gestured vaguely to the axe in his forehead as Dwalin nodded understandingly. _“I carry my father’s boar spear.”_

“Ah,” Dwalin said. “Didn’t know there were many boars in the northern range,” he continued, referring to the region of Ered Luin the Company’s Broadbeams hailed from.

 _“There used to be. That was before the wargs started growing bold and raiding from the east in greater and greater numbers. I suppose it was at that point I became a warg hunter instead of just hunting to feed my family,”_ Bifur said wryly. _“You see Bofur’s earring? And the dangler on my belt? Those are warg teeth, taken from Bof’s first kill.”_ Bifur beamed with pride. _“He made the settings himself.”_

Dwalin was impressed, and said so. The two began talking about warg-hunting technique, Dwalin only knowing the ways to kill them that were the same as how to kill anything, but Bifur taught him of weak places on their thick sides that a blade could slide in without getting caught on a rib or the wiry hair, and the exact spot on the back of their skulls that would give you an instant kill. They talked on until Balin woke grumbling and sent them back to their bedrolls like children.


	4. Nori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A knife's many uses.

There was knifework to be done. Fili and Kili had reported an orc patrol not far from their path. The Company hadn’t been seen yet, thanks to the thick brush surrounding their camp, but this could change in moments, if there was an accidental noise of any kind, or even if the wind changed and blew their scent to the enemy. Though the orcs numbered only five, there was always the danger of them blaring  their ugly-sounding horns and bringing in others.

There was knifework to be done, and Nori was the one to do it.

The plan, as laid out by Dwalin, was for Nori to silently make his way to the orcs, and lure them back to the dwarf’s clearing, where the others would be ready to ambush them.

Bifur cautiously watched his cousin Bofur, positioned near the front between Dwalin and Gloin. The younger dwarf casually spun his heavy mattock in his hands, easy attitude not quite covering up the gleam in his eyes. Despite his friendly attitude, Bifur knew from breaking up a great deal many fights that Bofur had a fierce appreciation for a good rumble now and again.

The dwarves waited, the only noise coming from gloved hands shifting on weaponry. Still the night remained quiet.

“He should have gotten to them by now,” Bifur heard Dwalin growl under his breath.

“They…they couldn’t have caught him and k-killed him, could they?” Ori was nervously whispering to Dori, somewhere behind Bifur.

“Quiet!” someone hissed, as an orc’s undulating cry came from the direction of the enemy camp, swiftly cut off before it could even fully register. There then came the clashing of metal on metal, and the swish of vegetation.

“Here they come, get ready!” Dwalin barked, bringing his warhammer into striking position. Bifur raised his boar spear in preparation…but Nori did not come crashing through the trees pursued by orcs. Instead, there were the sounds of a continuing scuffle, a muffled shout, and then, silence once again.

The dwarves looked around at each other, unsure.

“Do not drop your guard,” Thorin cautioned, he and Dwalin still holding their weapons at the ready.  

They tensed as a shadow separated itself from the layers of darkness before them, but it was only Nori, alone, his outer jacket stained with dark splashes.

Lowering his sword, Thorin demanded to know what happened, why he deviated from the plan, but Nori merely held out his hand and dropped an item at the King’s feet: a broken orc horn.

“It’s been taken care of,” was all he gave for explanation.

Dwalin sputtered indignantly, but Nori brushed by him. “I said. It’s been taken care of.”

Still bristling from Nori’s unsatisfactory answer, Dwalin gruffly ordered Bifur, Bofur, and Gloin to make their way to the orc camp and cover it up.

When they arrived, Bofur whistled out a breath between his teeth, pushing his hat back from his eyes in astonishment.

Bifur leaned a moment on his spear, his hunter’s eyes taking in what happened.

Two of the orcs had been killed before their fellows even knew there was something wrong; one slumped as if asleep, the other still seated on his stone by the edge of the camp, both their throats slit without a sound. The third was apparently the one who tried to raise the alarm, but the knife hilt protruding from the oozing gap where his eye once was explained his sudden silence. The final two orcs Nori had taken in direct conflict, using their comrades’ fallen swords against them.

Gloin blinked in the dying light of the orc’s campfire. “R-right. Let’s get this cleaned up then. Bifur, come help me with this lunk, would you?”

Working swiftly, the dwarves soon had the site cleared away; Bifur walking around one last time to make sure nothing has been missed.

When they returned to the others, Bifur cast about for Nori.

There he was; sitting alone outside the ring of light cast by the fire, cleaning the dark blood off his knives.

Though it could be said he was good at killing -oh, and he was _good_ at killing-, it could not be said it was something he enjoyed.

Taking a deep breath, for he knew of Nori’s temper, Bifur strode over, and sat down on the log next to the thief, taking out a block of wood and his own small carving blade.

Not looking up from already clean knives, Nori growled, “Now is not a good time, Bifur.”

As if he hadn’t spoken, Bifur commented, “ _You’re quite good with knives. Just saw some of your work in the glade.”_

Nori tensed, fingers in a bloodless grip on the blade in his hand. “An’ wot,” he managed to get out through clenched teeth, “d’you mean t’say by that?”

Bifur continued calmly carving at the block. “ _Ever consider using those skills for something else?”_ With that, he produced another plain wooden block and dropped it into Nori’s lap.

Nori picked it up and stared at it, uncomprehending.

Holding his own piece up to his eyes, Bifur gave a soft puff, a few last shavings wafting off. Though still crude, his block had transformed into what was very clearly the beginnings of a bird in flight.

Clacking his jaw shut after it had dropped open in awe, Nori looked down at the block in his hand and tried to press it back to Bifur. “N-no, mate, I’m no good at stuff like that…”

Bifur took it, shaved off a sliver off the edge, and passed it back. _“Now do the same on that side,”_ he said.

Nori blinked and tried to protest, but the insistence in Bifur’s eyes shut him up. With a stroke as unsteady as the slitting of a throat had been sure, Nori made a careful slice. Hissing angrily at how ragged it looked next to Bifur’s he made as if to sling it into the woods, but Bifur stopped his hand, took the block, fixed the line, and carved a new one.

Teeth gritted in frustration, but knowing Bifur wasn’t going to let him give up, Nori gave it another go. By the changing of the watch they had produced between them a quite passable wolf. Or dog? It was canine, in any case.

Bifur smiled at his pupil, who was grinning in success, and patted him on the shoulder before moving off to take Bofur’s place.

“Thank you…” he heard Nori whisper behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my favorite chapter so far. Hey, just because Nori is my favorite, doesn't make me biased. ...It might. A little.
> 
> ANYWAY. Since Nori wouldn't give an explanation to Thorin, here's mine.
> 
> Ok, so I figure it's still kind of early on the journey and the Company don't really know each other all that well yet, so when Nori goes and just takes care of business, especially in such a way...it kind of freaks them all out a little. But it's not something he likes, it’s just something he’s good at, and seeing an opportunity to just get it done with, he’ll take it. Knowing that being so good at killing is generally looked down upon, I figured he would try to avoid everyone else for a little while, not necessarily for their sakes and what they might think of him, but just to give himself some space. And then here comes Bifur, with forceful good intent, and a similar disdain to what others might think.
> 
> I think I like this kind of friendship :)


	5. Oin and Dori

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little brothers (and cousins), I'm tellin' ya...*grumble grumble*

_“Bofur! Stop picking on your brother!”_

Bifur sighed exasperatedly as he lowered his arm, poised to throw a small stick across the clearing at the offending dwarf; unneeded now that Bombur had caught on to Bofur’s prank and was now swinging a ladle in his own defense. Bofur released the lizard he had been about to drop down the back of Bombur’s shirt, and cackling, fled to the relative safety of the other side of the fire, grabbing Nori and using him as a shield. Taken by surprise, Nori toppled to the ground, but not before tripping Bofur, and bringing him down with him. With a cry of challenge, the two rolled through the campsite in a mock fight amid shouts of encouragement from some of the others, particularly Dwalin, Fili, and Kili. Their tussling brought them to where Gloin had just set up his bedroll for the night, lovingly propping up the portraits of his wife and child against one end of the log serving as his pillow. Bofur’s elbow came into contact with the other end of the log, and the portraits flopped face down onto Gloin’s bedding. With a roar of rage, Gloin picked up the log and chased the two, howling, into the woods. The rest of the camp burst into laughter, even Thorin cracking a rare half-smile.

The rest of the camp, that is, except Bifur, Oin, and Dori. They sat stock-still around the small fire Oin had just started for their tea, flint and strike still held loosely in his hands; Dori paused mid-scoop, a few leaves of his specialty blend drifting down into the teapot as his spoon hovered over it; Bifur with a half-hollowed cup still in his palm, two completed ones next to him. Their jaws hung slackly as they watched the general disorder their respective family members were causing.

“Brothers,” Oin said finally.

“Brothers,” Dori agreed.

 _“Cousins,”_ Bifur added.

Ears red with embarrassment, the three lowered their heads back to the task of making a proper cuppa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, super short, I know, but I hoped to convey just the moment where everything explodes and the ones on the outside are just left looking like what just happened o.O 
> 
> Haha hope it worked :P


End file.
